Good night

I feel I have been playing some good poker lately. Reads seem to be good. Aggression good. Things are falling into place. I played well last night too. Started the night by playing a $10 SnG. Decided if I made some money here, I would play the $5 multi starting later. Not much happened for a while. Had a guy calling me down on just a pair of kings though the flush was more than apparent. Watched him draw dead a number of times. I was amazed at the hands he was showing down. K 2 suited. Any connectors. Amazing.

But after moving up early, I sat around and didn't play much. With blinds at 150/300, we still had 7 people at the table with no big leaders. 3 were above 2500 and 4 below 1600. That is where the deck hit me hard and I ran K J and K Q for two quick doubles and took control of the table. The K J ran over A K when I flopped two pair. The K Q took out K J from a pretty aggressive guy. I wasn't sure I sure call him but did because I knew there was a chance I was ahead and that I could take a 1600 hit.

After that, I rolled along to a victory. With a boost over $200, the next step is to try the $20 SnGs. The couple of times I have played them they have been like a Triumph song. Loose, wild and free.

I actually signed up for and started the multi before the SnG had finished. I wish Pokerroom had 10 multis that paid better. It seems you need over 300 to make it worthwhile. Usually they have between 100 and 200. In that range, only the final table pays. I may have to scout other sites to see if they have more players. My guess is Party does, or it could be that the $10 multi isn't really an option.

My multi started pretty much like the SnG. Nothing to play for first half hour. I tried to limp a couple of times but the table was very aggressive. I have yet to develop a plan for those who raise it 10xs the BB pre-flop. Any suggestions are gladly accepted. Right now, I just sit back and wait for a good hand to call/bet with. I am willing to be patient- most of the time. So I sat back for a while last night. Was blinded down a bit as the table calmed down. Still some wild looking bets out there but didn't matter until I caught some cards.

Finally American Airlines lands on my strip. I raise it up from late position to 500, roughly pot size. Flop came Q high. I bet out and get called. I bet the turn and river when no higher cards come out. Turns out I was called all the way down by K K. I double up to get myself in a position to go somewhere in this tourney. I am above average now and can take advantage of some smaller stacks.

I start to steal some blinds. I take out one guy when K Q busts QJ. He pushed on me when I was on a steal. It was a small bet to call so it wasn't a problem.

Things continue to go well when 99 fills into a full house when a flop of J 10 10 comes. I bet out the two pair and was surprised to see the guy push. Only 650 to call. I felt I was ahead and called. He showed K 8 off. As mentioned the full house was completed on the turn with the 9.

I am able to steal some blinds and sit at 6600 at the first break. Not bad I believe, especially after a slow start.

I hit a nice hand in the second session. I was in the BB with 9 7 spades. The small blind raised it up to 400, a min raise. With two others limping in, I figured they wouldn't re-raise and wanted to see a flop. They just called as well and the flop came A Q 3- all spades. Jackpot. Small blind bet out 400. Hmm...I raised to 2000. Probably not a good move on my part, but I wanted to see if my flush was good with just the 9. 3 other cards could beat me, especially if another spade hit the board. The other two folded and the SB called. Maybe I should have slow played it.

The turn was the 5 of diamonds. I like the card. SB pushed all in and showed A 2 diamonds. All of that on A high and the flush possibility. Thanks for the chips. That pushed me over 10k.

I had a hand that should have payed off a bit more. But my K J didn't pay off though I made straight on river. The river was the A of hearts but that made the flush possible. The chip leader just kept betting the min. He showed a pair of Ks. I should have put a value bet out on the river to see if he had made his flush.

I avoid potential disaster with 9 9. Thankfully a guy pushed 13k in with K K. Guess he was scared of an A coming out.

Then I get switched to a new table. That sucks as I had a good read on players and knew I could steal there. Currently I am sitting at 11th place with 73 players left. A 8 of spades loses me 2k when I try to play second pair out. He has 10 10. I made a nice size bet on the river to represent the straight, but he called. Must have been tough for him to lay down with straight possibility on board.

Knock a guy out by playing K Q from the BB. He moved all in for 2k from the button. The guy had been short stacked and limping a lot so I figured he didn't really have a strong hand. A 6 suited. Caught my Q on the turn and he was gone.

I then proceed to get cold decked for the next 10 hands. So bad that I play 7 5 diamond from the small blind. Flop comes 6 3 10. Gutshot. I bet and get called. Turn is a 3. Check check. River a 5. I feel he is slow playing the K. He has pushed all in a number of times. I am a bit surprised he checks the river too and I win a tidy little pot with two pair. So shocked that I don't try to steal the blinds on the next hand.

I watch a tremendously bad beat. Guy flopped the nut flush and tried to slow play it. On the turn his opponent made his set. The set bet itout only to get re-raised by the nut hand. He called. The board then paired to give him full house. Ouch!

Then some movers get placed at the table and jack the game up a bit. Get 9 9 and raise it up 3xs. One guy then re-raises to 9k. Huh? This guy has been really wild and has shown just face cards. I hope to get something to play against him.

Just before this hand, we hit the money so I know I can make at least 8 bucks!!! Get another 20 spots higher and I make 13!!!! Note the sarcasm please. Top 5 is where the better cash is.

Sitting comfortable I hope to play some more hands. I get 9 10 diamonds and limp in for 800. 3 players see the flop of 8D,7D,2C. I have a ton of outs here. The small blind bets out and I her up. She calls. Turn is a 10 of clubs. A bit of help as I now have top pair as well. She bet out and I just called. River is the 9 of spades. Filled my straight. She bets out. I take my time and raise to force them all in. They showed a pair of 8s. Put a lot in with just 8s.

This boosts me to 20200 and 8th place. That is nice but final table is my first goal tonight.

I poorly play A Q suited out of the BB, choosing to just check instead of raise it. No help on the board and I have to fold to a river bet.

At the second break I am sitting at 13 with 18200. Only 29 players left.

Come back from the break to see A K off. Guy in front of me pushes all in for 3300. One other caller and me see the flop. 8 8 4. Guy bets out 1000. With the over cards and size of the pot, I call. Turn is a 5. No help. He bets 2100 and I fold. He has 3 3 to the all in K Q. Q on the river keeps the pusher alive.

I try to limp with 9 10 hearts. There is a raise of 3k more. I folded. Flop came with two hearts so I would have been stuck. If I was in the hand, I may have pushed to try and steal the pot there. It would have worked because I would have filled my the straight on the river and really moved up. Damn! Since the break I have lost 1/3 of my stack. Would of could of should of.

Big blinds comes around and give me a beautiful 9 2 off. Seeing a flop is a joke there. Small blind gives me 9 10 off. I get to complete for just 500 but miss the flop and muck.

Blinds come around and I haven't played since. I get 9 10 again. It is now stalking me. Bastard.

I don't play anything for a while again. Then I get 5 5 and limp in. I was tempted to fold it and wait for a stronger hand but I haven't seen anything quite this good in close to 20 hands. 4 callers see a flop of 9 6 5. The say there are key hands in every tournament where you need to risk everything if you expect to make it to the final table and win. I thought this was one of those do or die hands to make the final table. I push my last 7500 in. One guy takes a while to think and calls. He has 6 6. AAAAAAAGGGHHHH! Done at 21.

The last session just plain sucked. I felt I had played well all night until that spot. I am happy to have made it that far but seem to get stuck in the 15 to 20 level lately. Hopefully, I can continue this and improve from here.